Golfers visit the award winning Links & Tee’s year round Golf Facility on Lake Street in Addison. During our warmer weather months, play the outdoor course, the mini-golf and hit the driving range. Around November when the temperatures drop, bring your winter practice sessions inside to the Links and Tee’s Dome. For more information call the pro shop at (630)-233-7275 or online see Addisonparks.org. Links & Tee’s year round golf.  _____________________________________________________________________

The Gog Blog by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. With the US-Amateur Havemeyer Trophy at Olympia Fields, site of this weeks U.S. Amateur Championship.

The weather has passed and the USGA used Wednesday at Olympia Fields to get caught up and back on schedule.

Now they are.

USGA Amateur Championship Director Ben Kimball was quick to credit Olympia Fields Director of Grounds Sam MacKenzie and his team of working through the rain that has hit Olympia Fields over the first two days of the championship. Both days have seen over 1 inch of rain fall on the clubs two golf courses. But both courses look in great condition, and the rough deeper and thicker than even the 2003 U.S. Open at Olympia Fields had during championship week 12 years ago.

The famed par 3, 16th hole on Olympia Fields North Course, playing as Championship Hole #7 this week.

The first step for the USGA and the field of 312, was to wrap up Round 2. That was done pretty quickly, but then what follows is one of the most exciting moments of the week at the U.S. Amateur, and that’s the playoff to make the match play field of 64.

Unlike the professional events where a certain number of players and ties make the cut. 64 is a firm number at the U.S. Amateur, so the playoff begins to survive and today was no different as 18 players fought for the final spots. It took four holes to to resolve the log-jam, and a 3 for 2 spots on the fourth playoff hole before the final 64 were decided.

That brought on the start of the match play, with 32 players moving on to Thursday, where morning and afternoon sessions will be played, that will leave only 8 players remaining by days end.

From the local side the news was good. First in with a win was one of Illinois Coach Mike Small’s top players, Alex Burge from Bloomington Illinois, who won by a score of 2 UP. Burge then delayed his media session and lunch to go root on Illinois teammate Thomas Detry of Belgium. Detry advanced himself with a 2 UP win.

Todd Mitchell from Bloomington Illinois, who has won several championships on the CDGA circuit and has and played in several Radix Cup Championships, moved on with a 1 UP victory.

David Cooke 2015 Illinois Open Champion, with the trophy.

David Cooke the 2015 Illinois Open champion from Bolingbrook, and currently attends North Carolina State University, got off to a quick start and with birdies on the first two holes and never looked back. Cooke had 3 UP lead for most of his round and won his match by a 3 & 2 score.

Some other matches of note included. Ryan Ruffels of Australia defeating 2014 Western Amateur champion and member of the 2015 Walker Cup team Beau Hossler 5 & 4.

Cameron Young defeated defending U.S. Amateur Champion Gunn Yang 3 & 2. Paul Dunne who lead the British Open after 3 rounds and was given special exemption into the U.S Amateur advanced with a 2 UP win over Robbie Ziegler of Madison Wisconsin, who was the last player from Wisconsin in the championship.

NCAA national Champion Bryson Dechambeau of the SMU golf team was a big winner over Robby Saloman by an 8 & 6 score.

Click here to hear interviews with Thomas Detry and Alex Burge from University of Illinois golf team, NCAA Champion Bryson Dechambeau, and Illinois Open Champion David Cooke from Bolingbrook.

The Round of 32 will start at 7 AM on Thursday, with the Round of 16 starting at 1 PM. On Friday Quarterfinal matches start at 1 PM.Saturdays Semi-Final matches start at 8 AM, with the Championship 36 hole match starting at 8:30 AM and 1:30 PM.

For further online coverage of the 115th US Amateur Championship, please visit USGA.org.